The OPEN Cost Action («CA22121 – Rising nationalisms, shifting geopolitics and the future of European higher education/research openness») held its first annual conference and working meetings at the University of Aveiro, Portugal from the 16th to 19th April 2024, where assoc. prof. Oksana Zamora, PhD, Department of International Economic Relations participated as a member of the working group and a Management Committee.
The inaugural conference at the University of Aveiro represented a significant milestone in the efforts of OPEN Action to address pressing issues surrounding the openness of European higher education and research in the face of rising nationalisms and geopolitical pressures. By bringing together leading scholars from 40 countries, the conference was a collective step towards converging diverse pan-European and interdisciplinary perspectives on the university in times of geopolitical uncertainty.
With a wide array of insightful keynote speakers, panel discussions, and workshops, attendees could look forward to engaging with the latest advancements and challenges in navigating the complexities of historical and current pressures of academic freedom and institutional autonomy. Moreover, ample networking opportunities enabled participants to forge new collaborations, share research findings, and contribute to the advancement of research agendas within the EU and beyond.
The OPEN Action also held an annual “peer-to-peer” research colloquium for early career scholars before the annual conference, on April 16th. The colloquium supported the opportunity to share work-in-progress and engage in peer-to-peer feedback.
On April 17th, the OPEN COST Action management committee met for the second time. The management committee is made up of representatives from 38 different COST member countries, with backgrounds spanning a wide range of academic disciplines. This diversity of both nationalities and disciplinary perspectives is the management committee’s greatest strength and is crucial to supporting the aim of the Action.
One of the many important topics discussed at the meeting was the grant opportunities that the OPEN COST Action will offer in the future, in particular Short-Term Scientific Mission grants and conference grants.
